SBIR Phase II: An RF Radiation Empowered Sensing Method for Low Cost Structural State Monitoring

这个小企业创新研究第二阶段项目解决了我们国家日益恶化的局势？的基础设施系统，特别是桥梁。 迫切需要一种解决方案来监测这种系统的结构完整性，以确定潜在的故障？比如明尼阿波利斯I-35 W大桥坍塌在它们发生之前。 结构状态感测的现有解决方案是昂贵的、劳动密集型的、不可扩展的和不可靠的。 第一阶段展示了一种创新的、具有成本效益的、非侵入性的、可扩展的结构监测技术的可行性，这种技术被称为有源射频测试（ART）。 研究人员开发了一种薄的，机械灵活的，贴片式无线传感器的原型，可以很容易地连接到结构的分布式点。 ART传感器是无电池的，其能量通过网络内RF能量辐射机制提供。 基于第一阶段的成功，第二阶段将（1）优化架构并增强ART传感器的能力;（2）开发用于传感器的大批量生产的成本有效的过程;（3）开发分析工具，其生成结构上的ART传感器的安装位置的地图;（4）开发基于传感器的检测/诊断模型;以及（5）对两座公路桥的ART系统进行现场评估。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是保护美国基础设施免受老化、结构故障和故障的影响。 老化的基础设施构成了一个重大的社会挑战：最近的报告显示，美国交通基础设施有601，027座桥梁，其中71，419座存在结构缺陷。 拟议ART技术的独特功能？例如安装容易、成本低、可扩展性、能源自给自足和耐用性？使其成为应对这一挑战的理想对策。 ART贴片传感器的附接将是对结构的非侵入性的，安装工作将是最小的，并且不需要钻孔。 ART贴片传感器的机械灵活性将允许适应复杂的几何形状，包括桥梁上的支承板、角撑板、接头、支撑电缆和桁架系统。 最后，ART技术具有多用途解决方案的特点，可以针对不同类型结构的结构完整性监测需求进行定制，包括桥梁，管道，大坝，机身和海上平台。 仅美国71419座结构缺陷桥梁就代表了28亿美元的商业市场。 沿着国际销售的潜力，解决其他结构的潜力将增加机会。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project addresses the deteriorating situation with respect to our nation?s infrastructure system, particularly bridges. A solution is critically needed to monitor the structural integrity of such systems in order to identify potential failures ? such as the Minneapolis I-35W Bridge collapse ? before they occur. Existing solutions for structural state sensing are expensive, labor intensive, non-scalable, and unreliable. Phase I demonstrated the feasibility of an innovative, cost-effective, non-intrusive, and scalable structural monitoring technology known as Active RF Test (ART). The investigators developed a prototype of a thin, mechanically flexible, patch-like wireless sensor that can be easily attached to distributed points of a structure. ART sensors are batteryless, with their energy supplied through an in-network RF energy radiation mechanism. Based on the Phase I success, Phase II will (1) optimize the architecture and enhance the capabilities of the ART sensors; (2) develop cost effective processes for high-volume production of the sensors; (3) develop analytical tools that generate a map of installation locations for ART sensors on a structure; (4) develop detection/diagnostics models based on the sensors; and (5) conduct a field evaluation of the ART system on two highway bridges.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is protecting the US infrastructure against aging, structural malfunction, and failures. Aging infrastructure poses a significant societal challenge: recent reports indicate that the US transportation infrastructure has 601,027 bridges, of which 71,419 are structurally deficient. Unique features of the proposed ART technology ? such as easy installation, low cost, scalability, energy self sufficiency, and durability ? make it an ideal response to this challenge. The attachment of ART patch sensors will be non-intrusive to a structure, the installation effort will be minimal, and no drilling will be required. The mechanical flexibility of the ART patch sensors will allow adaption to complex geometries, including bearing plates, gusset plates, joints, support cables, and truss systems on a bridge. Finally, ART technology features a multipurpose solution that can be tailored to structural integrity monitoring needs of different types of structures, including bridges, pipelines, dams, airframes, and offshore platforms. The 71, 419 structurally deficient US bridges alone represent a commercial market of $2.8 billion. The potential to address other structures, along with the potential for international sales, would enhance the opportunity.